Luminous electrode discharge lamp



Se t. 1

p 927 c. F. LORENZ LUMINOUS ELECTRODE DISCHARGE LAMP Filed March 14,1923 FIG.

FIG

INVEN'I'OR CHARL E5 F LORE'NZ.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT mm] v cnaanns rnnnanrcx LORENZ, oraas'r omen, NEWcanar assrezro'n 'ro WEST- menousa LAM]? courm, A coaroaa'rron orrnmrsrnvm .LUMINOUS ELECTRODE DISCHARGE LAMP.

Application filedlarch 14, 1923. Serial No. 824,915.

This invention relates'to electric incandescent lamps and morelparticularly to lamps which are operated y an electrical d1scharge.

5 An object of my of a lamp wh1ch substantially all of the energy isnverted from the electrical state into radiati n.

Another object of my invention is to provide. alamp \of the electricaldischar a type and employ g electrodes in which t e heat generated in,the gaseous path of the discharge and the heat of all but one of theelectrodes, is prevented from loss by" radiation 5 and convection.

Another object of vide a lam having its electrodes so disposed and shapeas to eflectively transform all of the electrical ener put into the lampfrom that state into ra iation. I 1 A further object of my invention isthe provision of an electric incandescent lampin which the light-givingbodies are of such form as to give a good life-temperature per-.

'formance.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from a readingof thefollowing description. y

In' electric lamgs emplo ing, as the lightgivin source, a lam nt I orco1 ed wire, considerableloss of electrical energy which has beenconverted into radiation is e rienced by convection and conduction.lamps whlch em loy an arc 85 or an electrical dischar purposes,considerable oss is occasioned through convection and conduction of theheat generated in the gaseous path of the discharge. It is obvious that,if this heat could be conserved and utilized to aid in brin itheilluminant to the temperature at wlii r z light is given 01f, savingmight be effected in the actual energy input of the lamp for a, giventem rature.

It has also "been 0 erved that. ood life with a satisfactory temperatureper ormance cannot be obtained with filaments ofsmall diameter. It is awell known fact that,'upon heating a refracto metal to thetempera- 'tureat which light is obtained, the diameter of the filament slowlydimimshes through invention is the provision ormed of straight for iuminatmg vaporization of the material. The" smaller the diameter of thefilament, the lgliicker the hfe of the lamp in which such ament ispositioned is terminated.

- I propose toovercome the above objections and accomplish theobjectsmentioned above by 'constructin a damp having electrodes whichare so s aped and disposed with respect to each other that the oneelectrode is substantiall inclosed by, and spaced from, the otherectrode or electrodes. An electrical discharge is utilized to bring theelectrodes to incandescence. The arrangement of the electrodes and theirshape, prevents heat of the inner electrode and also the heat generatedin the gaseous ath of the discharge. Furthermore, the e ectrodes, byreason of their massive form, as compared with the filamentary formof'the light-giving element of an ordinary incandescent lamp," is not sosubject to: destruction by vaporization or the development of ahot-spot, as is a filament, and has a longerlife than a filamentoperated at the same temperature.

Referring to. the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view, partially broken away, in elevation of one embodimentof my invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a view of the concentric eleca v r the loss by radiation andconvection of the my mventlon 1s to pro-' trodes, the inner electrodebeing shown in end elevation and tion.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in-the accompanying drawing,may comp)rise a transparent spherical envelope 3. isposed withm theenvelope are electrodes 4 and 5. These electrodes may be arrangedcentrally with respect to the envelope 3, fge a purpose more fullydescribed hereina r. V

--In orderto conserve the energy which is radiated by the innerelectrode I preferably the outer electrode in sec- .dispose the samewithin the outer electrode 4, the latter being made hollow in ordertovsecure this result. The inner electrode may be spaceda uniformdistancefrom the outer electrode, and in order to increase the surface areathereof, so that its surface area may more nearly equal, in magnitude,the inner surface area of the outer electrode, it

may be corrugated or given any other desired configuration to accomplishthe purpose desired.

The inner electrode ma be given the form of a sphere which may be hollowor solid. The outer electrode may be similarly formed, it being obvious,however, that, in order to place the inner electrode therein, it isessential that the same be hollow.

The electrode 5 ma be positioned within the outer electrode 4 y rovidingan opening 6 in the outer electrodb of such size as to permit thepassage of electrode 5 therethrough. It is obvious to those skilled inthe art that other methods or structures may be employed foraccomplishing this end.

For positioning and supportin the inner electrode within the outerelectro e, the electrodes 4: and 5 may be connected to supports 7 and 8,respectively. These supports may serve as leading-in wires for thecurrent supplied to the lamp. A stem 9 having a press 10 may beprovided, as in usual lamp esign. If desired, auxiliary supports (notshown may be rovided, in order to maintain t e electro es in the desiredadjusted positions.

By placing the inner electrode within the outer electrode and utilizingan electrical discharge to brin the electrodes to a high erature, thecat generated in the path temp of lscharge is prevented from loss as theouter electrode absorbs substantially all of such energy. In addition tothis, the heat which is radiated by the inner electrode and across thespace between the inner electrode and the outer electrode is alsoabsorbed by the latter electrode.

If it is desired to utilize the lamp for flood lighting or projectionpurposes, much of the ener liberated by the electrodes may be eifectivey conserved by providing the inner surface of the envelope 3 w th amirror 11 of an suitable material, such as silver or the li e. A clearspace 12, centrally disposed with respect to the envelope 3, may beprovided in order to ermit the light to emerge from the lamp. y thisarrangement, radiant energy, which is not in the form of light, may bereflected back upon the electrode to assist in heating the same. Inorder to accomplish this latter.

object, it is desirable to have the electrodes disposed centrally withinthe spherical envelo e 3. i

T e envelope may be filled with any desired gaseous atmos here which iscapable of sustaining an e ectric discharge. The gas used should be ofsuch nature as to be inert with respect to the electrodes. A suitablegas may consist of argon, neon, helium, nitrogen and the like, ormixtures of gases. The pressure of the gas is referably less thanatmospheric, for examp e, it may be of the order 0 600 mms. of mercury.

In the operation of the lamp, a current, at a sufiicient potential, ispassed through the leading-in wires 7 and 8. An electric discharge isthus caused to occur between the electrodes 4 and 5, which, in turn,causes the electrodes to become highly heated.- The heat which isgenerated in the discharge path is absorbed by the outer electrode 4:and is thus prevented from loss through radiation and convection. At thesame time, the heat which is radiating from the inner electrode 5 isalso absorbed by the outer electrode and the gas also helps to transferheat from the inner to the outer electrode. The outer electrodeis,'thereby brought to a high degree of incandescence. thus :furnishingan eflicient light source, through the conversion or transformation ofracically all of the energy from the electncal state into radiation.

Many modifications will suggest themselves, but those are contemplated,which fall within the spirit of my invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric incandescent lamp comprising an envelope containing anelectrical discharge-sustaining atmos ere, an electrode within saidenvelope an at least one other electrode disposed around said firstmentioned electrode and spaced uniformly therefrom so as to absorbsubstantially all of the heat radiated from said first mentionedelectrode and reach a state of incandescence to constitute a lightsource.

2. An electric incandescent lamp comprising an envelope containing anelectrical discharge-sustaining atmosphere, a light source comprising aplurality of electrodes disposed within said envelope, at least one ofsaid electrodes being composed of a hollow substantially spherical bodyof a refractory material, enclosin the said discharge and adapted to beheated to constitute a light source.

3. An electrical incandescent lamp com,- prising an envelope containingan electrical discharge-sustaining atmosphere and a pair of electrodes,one of said e ectrodes consisting of a hollow substantially and theother electrode bein in said body and spaced su stantially uniformltherefrom.

4. electric incandescent lamp comprising an envelope containin anelectrical discharge-sustaining atmosp ere and a pluralit ofsubstantiallgespherical electrodes, one of said electrodes ing hollowand another being concentrically dis osed within this-former electrodeand space therefrom.

5. An electric incandescent lamp comprisspherical body ing an envelopecontainin an electrical dis-' charge-sustaining atmosp ere and aplurality of electrodes, one 0t said electrodes consisting of a. hollowbodydiavmg an opening isposed with-- being arranged Within the otherelectrode and uniformly spaced therefrom.

6. In an electrical incandescent lamp a pair of electrodes, onesubstantially entirely enclosed Within the other and spaced a uniformdistance therefrom over substantially its entire area whereby a uniformdischarge path is produced between said electrodes.

7. In an incandescent electric lamp of the discharge type, means forconserving the heat generated in the gaseous path of the dischargecomprising a refractory shell sub- 1 stantially entirely enclosing saiddischarge,

adapted to absorb the heat therefrom and constituting the sole lightsource of said lamp.

8. In an electric incandescent'lamp of the discharge type employing apair of electrodes, means for producing a source of light by conservingthe heat generated in the gaseous discharge path and also the heatradiated by one of the electrodes consistin in enclosing said dischargeand one of sai electrodes within the other electrode to bring theenclosing electrode to a state of incandescence.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th dayof March,

CHARLES FREDERICK LORENZ.

